Cloris Leachman - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

FOL-FAN-ITA · 03-10-2020, 03:03 PM

I have a question. Cloris Leachman was suggested by Charlotte Rae or they hired her because they wanted to?

80s Dude · 03-10-2020, 03:07 PM

Charlotte recommended Cloris Leachman. They know one another for decades, were sorority sisters, and were roommates after college.

FOL-FAN-ITA · 03-10-2020, 03:13 PM

I'm watching season 8 again. Beverly Ann was funny, she sure isn't Mrs. Garrett but she is a great replacement. And I forgot how funny season 8 was, better than six and seven

80s Dude · 03-10-2020, 03:17 PM

Ironically, John Lawlor (aka Mr. Bradley) was in Cloris Leachman's show for a season called "Phyllis" a couple of years before Facts of Life came on.

RetroGuy2000 · 03-10-2020, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Ironically, John Lawlor (aka Mr. Bradley) was in Cloris Leachman's show for a season called "Phyllis" a couple of years before Facts of Life came on.

The TV industry was so much smaller, then. As you and I remember, we didn't have 1,000 channels back then. With only three networks, nearly everyone was appearing on everyone else's shows. Everyone seemingly knew everyone else, and there were connections everywhere.

I found it interesting that Dorothy Loudon, who appeared on the FOL knock-off series Dorothy, sang with Charlotte on several albums.

valentina warner · 03-10-2020, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I'm watching season 8 again. Beverly Ann was funny, she sure isn't Mrs. Garrett but she is a great replacement. And I forgot how funny season 8 was, better than six and seven

I agree with you that season 8 was definitely better than 7 (GEORGE and ANDY surely irritated the hell out of me!) but not because of BEVERLY ANN (she was another irritating character): it was the friendship between JO and BLAIR that did it for me after MRS G left the show.
The close relationship between 'rich bitch with the heart of gold' and 'streetwise Bronx girl' was what kept the show going and nothing else.... And definitely not 'nonsense' new added actors lol!

'80sSitcoms · 03-11-2020, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The TV industry was so much smaller, then. As you and I remember, we didn't have 1,000 channels back then. With only three networks, nearly everyone was appearing on everyone else's shows. Everyone seemingly knew everyone else, and there were connections everywhere.

Yup, I remember you saying this when I shared on here a couple of years ago that I saw 3 or 4 "Facts of Life" guest stars on a "Munsters" 1980s TV movie, lol.

RetroGuy2000 · 03-11-2020, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Yup, I remember you saying this when I shared on here a couple of years ago that I saw 3 or 4 "Facts of Life" guest stars on a "Munsters" 1980s TV movie, lol.

Yep! I just saw Jack Riley as a travel agent on One Day at a Time. I was like, "I'm glad Mr. Crocker found work after getting canned from his headmaster position at Eastland! It must have been difficult to find work, because he dyed his hair and changed his last name to Gonagin."

When you only have three networks, there's going to be a huge amount of crossover guest appearances between shows, because each network only aired about 25-30 prime time shows per week. Now, there are 1,000 TV channels and hundreds of streaming services.

'80sSitcoms · 03-11-2020, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yep! I just saw Jack Riley as a travel agent on One Day at a Time. I was like, "I'm glad Mr. Crocker found work after getting canned from his headmaster position at Eastland! It must have been difficult to find work, because he dyed his hair and changed his last name to Gonagin."

80s Dude · 03-12-2020, 08:35 AM

I wonder how Cloris Leachman is doing now a days? It would have been nice to have her interviewed for the new documentary if she was up to it.

Sitcommania · 03-13-2020, 08:06 PM

Charlotte Rae was also good friends with Paul Lynde. He went to Northwestern with her and Cloris Leachman.

Fallon97 · 03-30-2020, 07:33 PM

So Cloris Leachman and Charlotte Rae were already friends? No wonder they had such great chemistry as sisters. And I thought Cloris Leachman did a good job as Beverly Ann.

80s Dude · 03-30-2020, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallon97

So Cloris Leachman and Charlotte Rae were already friends? No wonder they had such great chemistry as sisters. And I thought Cloris Leachman did a good job as Beverly Ann.

They went to college together and then roomed together after they graduated. They also were friends with Paul Lynde.

Sitcommania · 03-30-2020, 09:18 PM

It’s up for debate whether Paul Lynne adopted his speech pattern from Charlotte Rae or his other friend, Alice Ghostley.

'80sSitcoms · 03-30-2020, 11:37 PM

If you like Cloris Leachman, you should do yourself a favor and check out a sitcom no one remembers: "The Ellen Show" from 2001.

Cloris plays Ellen DeGeneres's dotty mom, and she is SO funny (well, just about the whole cast is). Ellen plays Ellen Richmond, an L.A. woman whose ".com" business went belly-up and she ends up moving back home to her quirky small town and moving back in with mom and sis.

I saw it in a used bookstore and thought, "Ellen? Cloris? Jim Gafigan? This is worth checking out" and it sure was. It's only 18 episodes, but they are 18 very good and very funny episodes.

Highly recommended!

03-10-2020, 03:03 PM	#1
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	Cloris Leachman I have a question. Cloris Leachman was suggested by Charlotte Rae or they hired her because they wanted to?

03-10-2020, 03:07 PM	#2
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,820	Charlotte recommended Cloris Leachman. They know one another for decades, were sorority sisters, and were roommates after college.

03-10-2020, 03:13 PM	#3
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	I'm watching season 8 again. Beverly Ann was funny, she sure isn't Mrs. Garrett but she is a great replacement. And I forgot how funny season 8 was, better than six and seven

03-10-2020, 03:17 PM	#4
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,820	Ironically, John Lawlor (aka Mr. Bradley) was in Cloris Leachman's show for a season called "Phyllis" a couple of years before Facts of Life came on.

03-12-2020, 08:35 AM	#10
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,820	I wonder how Cloris Leachman is doing now a days? It would have been nice to have her interviewed for the new documentary if she was up to it.

03-13-2020, 08:06 PM	#11
Sitcommania Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 01, 2018 Location: New york Posts: 309	Charlotte Rae was also good friends with Paul Lynde. He went to Northwestern with her and Cloris Leachman.

03-30-2020, 07:33 PM	#12
Fallon97 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2007 Location: America Posts: 1,271	So Cloris Leachman and Charlotte Rae were already friends? No wonder they had such great chemistry as sisters. And I thought Cloris Leachman did a good job as Beverly Ann.

03-30-2020, 09:18 PM	#14
Sitcommania Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 01, 2018 Location: New york Posts: 309	It’s up for debate whether Paul Lynne adopted his speech pattern from Charlotte Rae or his other friend, Alice Ghostley.

03-30-2020, 11:37 PM	#15
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	If you like Cloris Leachman, you should do yourself a favor and check out a sitcom no one remembers: "The Ellen Show" from 2001. Cloris plays Ellen DeGeneres's dotty mom, and she is SO funny (well, just about the whole cast is). Ellen plays Ellen Richmond, an L.A. woman whose ".com" business went belly-up and she ends up moving back home to her quirky small town and moving back in with mom and sis. I saw it in a used bookstore and thought, "Ellen? Cloris? Jim Gafigan? This is worth checking out" and it sure was. It's only 18 episodes, but they are 18 very good and very funny episodes. Highly recommended!